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A. J. MOXHAM.

MOVABLE TONGUE SWITCH FOR STREET BAILWAYS.

No. 388,994. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

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ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OF JOHNSTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOVABLE-TONGUE SWITCH FOR STREET RAILVVAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,994, dated September 4, 1888.

Application filed May 9, 1888. Serial No. 273,306.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, of Johnstown, in the county of Gambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in MovableTongue Switches for Street-Railways, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to increase the strength and durability of the pivotal point of the tongue, thus dispensing with the necessity of adjustability at said point.

The invention will first be described in detail, and then particularly set forth in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a tongue-switch in general plan. Fig. 2 shows in side elevation the heel portion of the tongue and its pin with attachments. Fig. 3 shows in end elevation the tongue and its pin formed integral with the tongue itself. Fig. 4. shows in part section and part end elevation the method of securing the pinto orin the structure. Fig. 5 shows in crossscction taken at the line m m of Fig. 1 the chock between the switch-rails through which the pin of the tongue is inserted.

In said figures the several parts are indi catcd by letters of reference, as follows:

A indicates the tongue proper; B, the guardrails, of any desired shape or section, preferably of the girder form; C, the pin of the tongue; D, a washer; E, clips secured together by rivets or bolts 71,- F, the chock.

The advantages of this method of construc tion will now be described.

In tongue-switches wherein the pin is made separate from the tongue the diameter of the pin is much limited. The heel of the tongue at or near the point X X being of a given width, the head of the pin must be considerably smaller than this width, and the diameter of the pin proper still smaller than the head; but by making the pin 0 a solid and component part of the tongue, as shown in Fig. 2, a much larger diameter and consequent wearing-surface is obtained. The lower part of this integral pin is recessed, as shown at c, Fig. 3, and the pin and tongue are secured in (No model.)

place in the manner described, as follows: The pin is inserted through the hole f of the chock F, Fig. 5. The washer D is then slipped over the lower end of the pin and the two side clips riveted together into the recess 6. The riveting of these side clips is effected with a slight draw, which secures asolid bearing of the washer D against the exposed portion 9 of the check F. As ordinarily secured, the pin of the tongue is fastened below with a not or a key, and the whole construction of the ordinary tongue-switch is such that considerable looseness and play occur at this point, and as it is vital that this play should be readily taken up this connection is generally made an adjustable one; but the principle followed in the construction of this improved tongue-switch is to secure so large an area of wearing-surface and so permanent a connection as to make this pivotal point as durable as the whole of the rest of the switch, and all adj ustnlent is dispensed with. Theonly l ose ness that can occur would be in the rivets h, and this looseness would be sidewise, not ver tical, and evidently would not affect the verticai distance G between the under surface of the tongue and the washer D, which is filled by the thickness of the chock F. This vertical distance being preserved constant, there can be no tendency in the tongue to kick up at its point. The usual defects in tongue switches are largely caused by this very adjustability of its lower connections, which adjustability is rendered necessary by the lack of stiffness and strength in said parts.

Having thus fully described my said improvement as of my invention, I claim- 1. A tongueswitch provided with a tongue having a pivotal pin integral therewith, substantially as set forth.

2. A tongue-switch provided with a tongue having a pivotal pin integral therewith and secured in place by clips titted into a recess on the lower port-ion of the pin, substantially as set forth.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM.

Viitnesses:

A. J. BRYAN, O. R. POWELL. 

